forest, while the smaller ones, and under some conditions the larger ones too, 

 produce a mottled effect much like that of the tree trunks on which the birds 

 climb. (See Chapter VIII, p. 50.) Significant in connection with the evident 

 winter-picturing in the costumes of these northern woodpeckers is the differ- 

 ent coloration of their southern relatives. The Downy and Hairy Wood- 

 peckers are distributed from the southern United States almost to the northern 

 limit of tree-growth, and being non-migratory, have developed certain geo- 

 graphical racial differences. The birds of the northernmost race are biggest 

 and whitest, those of the southernmost, smallest and blackest. Other species 

 of the same genus, and of nearly allied genera, which are peculiar to the 

 southern part of the country, below the limit of snow, lack the larger white 

 blotches, being for the most part closely barred and speckled, in 'tree-bark 

 patterns.' The Golden-winged Woodpecker (Colaptes auratus, etc.), which 

 is mainly brown and black and yellow, abounds in the northeastern United 

 States during the summer, but migrates southward in the fall, for the most 

 part keeping outside the snow-line. Looking still farther south, to the Amer- 

 ican tropics, we find the woodpeckers brown and red and yellow and gray 

 and olive, and, with a few exceptions, almost entirely devoid of white. Many 

 of the tropical woodpeckers, indeed, and their allies in habits the Wood Creep- 

 ers (Dertdrocolaptidce), belong strictly to the class of tropical 'brown birds' 

 described earlier in this chapter. 



The northern tits and nuthatches are colored much like the northern 

 woodpeckers, but in simple, bold, undiversified 'ruptive' patterns. (See 

 Fig. 61.) So also with the magpies, which have the added gift of rich irides- 

 cent color in the tail and wings,— picturing snow-shadows and fir foliage. 



The costume of the beautiful Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a wonderful 

 picture of a winter landscape — snow in shadow, snow in sunlight, sky, trees, 

 and vinous-gray scrub — all are there, in true and exquisite comminglement. 

 Here again we have a picture to show in aid of unconvincing words. The 

 Blue Jay picture in Plate VI, unlike the woodpecker figure, was painted 

 from bird-skins against a real out-door background. Of course the Blue 



